Ellie shaded her eyes against the lanterns spotlighting her, and peered out into the crowd, seeking the source of the angry voice. The speaker, a big burly man flanked by a painfully skinny guy on one side and greasy-haired fat man on the other, clenched his fists as he stepped forward out of the shadows.

“You.” There was no doubt the newcomer meant Jack. The man’s eyes locked on Jack like targeting missiles, and his lips curled back to bare yellowed, crooked teeth. The animosity leveled at Jack made those nearest to him shrink back slightly, and Ellie noted a couple of people on the edge of the group leading small children away. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Jack caught Ellie’s gaze for a long moment, holding it as though only the two of them were present in the clearing. When he broke contact, he turned with graceful ease to face his uncle.

“Seth.” Jack made no attempt at claiming family ties. “I’m just visiting my mom.”

Seth swaggered into the clearing, clan members melting out of his path as he strode forward. He came to a stop six feet in front of Jack, as though on the set of a play.

“You came to see your mom.” His tone was mocking. He turned to his henchmen. “Did you hear that, boys? He came to see his mommy.”

Dutifully, Seth’s sidekicks snickered. Behind them, still in the shadows, Ellie could make out another couple of men, and it became all too clear why Seth had remained unchallenged for so long. All the laughter and fun had gone out of the evening like a snuffed candle. The hostility and danger emanating from these men was a palpable force surrounding the clan.

“What’s wrong with that?” Helena stepped up beside Jack, her voice sharp. Ellie could hear the fear in it, as well as the defiance, and suspected Seth could do the same. “Can’t a son see his mother if he feels like it?”

“You shut up, woman,” Seth snapped. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

Jack started forward, but Helena caught him by the arm. She gave a short shake of her head. His nostrils flared in anger, but Jack backed down.

“If Jack here wants to see his mama, well, the two of you could have met up in town. Ain’t no reason for him to come where he ain’t wanted. No reason at all. And what’s all this?” Seth indicated the tables where most of the clan still sat like rabbits paralyzed by the sighting of a predator. “You figure you have a reason to celebrate something?”

A slight breeze set the lanterns to swaying, and Seth’s shadow elongated into something ferocious and ugly before him. The clan members shifted uneasily in their seats.

“That’s my fault.” Jack’s drawl made heads turn in his direction. “It’s not every day a man brings home his mate to meet his mother.”

A nervous titter ran round the group. Ellie felt the blood leave her face and then return with twice the heat as before. Jack flashed a glance at her, and she smiled at him. He was trying to protect her and the clan as well. Well, two could play this game.

“Your mate?” Seth’s emphasis on the word made the hair on the back of Ellie’s neck rise. The slow, nasty smile that spread over Seth’s face caused Jack to tense, and Ellie wondered if he’d underestimated how much Seth hated him.

“Yes, his mate. Can you believe it?” Jolene practically screeched, stepping out of the trees with her nails curved like talons as she marched into the light.

“What’s it to you?” The deadly calm in Seth’s voice prickled Ellie’s skin, and she almost felt sorry for Jolene, who suddenly froze in her tracks.

“Nothing, baby,” she said in wheedling tones. Her fingers uncurled to hang limply at her sides. “Just that I find it hard to believe that’s his only reason for coming. That’s all.”

“Oh, I guess you can blame that on me,” Ellie spoke brightly, moving out of the spotlight to take Jack’s arm. “This whole shifter business is new to me, and I was a little nervous about meeting y’all.” She laid on the accent with extra syrup. She hadn’t spent years dealing with difficult customers for nothing. She knew how to make a man feel at ease, and how to soothe a battered ego. With a few words of flattery and a helping of good food, usually even the most belligerent man calmed down.

She smiled, concentrating on letting—as Susan had said—her inner Marilyn out. Not so much as to seem to be coming on to Seth, but enough to stroke his ego. Her heart pounded in her chest, but she willed herself to speak calmly. If fear made her sound a bit breathless, she would use it to her advantage. “Now you must be Seth. I’m ever so pleased to meet you. Jack and I have to leave tomorrow, and I was afraid we’d miss you entirely.”

She let go of Jack’s arm to touch her fingers to lips that she rounded in a little O of surprise. “But where are my manners? You boys must be dreadfully tired after your hunting trip. I don’t think all the food’s been put away yet. Which would you prefer: the sweet red or the brown barbeque sauce? We’ve been having a friendly little competition here today. You can decide the winner for us.” She indicated an empty table. “Come, sit. We’ll bring you some plates. We’ll let you be the judge.” She smiled at Seth as though he was the only man in the universe capable of making such a momentous decision.

“This is your mate?” Seth rocked back to shoot Jack a look of sneering disbelief. “Her?”

Out of the corner of her eye, Ellie saw Jack’s fists bunch and she quickly mashed her heel into his foot before he could go ballistic. “I know, right?” She laughed. “It seems strange. We’re from such different worlds. But there’s no accounting for fated mates, is there?”

She left Jack’s side to lightly touch Seth’s shoulder. “Come on, I know you boys must be starving after all your time in the woods. Why don’t you kick back and let us take care of you? There’s both apple pie and blackberry cobbler, and I’m sure there’s still some homemade ice cream left.”

The skinny man’s stomach growled loudly and Ellie let out a peal of laughter. “I thought as much. You men take a seat here, and I’ll get you something to eat.”

Behind her, she sensed clan members scurrying to produce plates of food, even though most of it had already been put away. With any luck, it would still be hot.

A sense of serenity cloaked her, providing warmth against any possible chill. Seth’s palpable resentment and fear—yes, fear that Jack would challenge him—receded into the background as she led him and his party to the table. She asked for their requests and mentally filed their orders, touching shoulders, leaning in with a smile as she saw them seated and beverages brought to them. The tension oozed out of the clan as Seth became expansive under the influence of food and drink, and yet Ellie could still pick out Jack’s quiet anger simmering in the background. Deliberately, she scarcely looked at him until Seth and his cohorts relaxed into their dinners.

Ellie personally brought Seth his food, careful to be as deferential as possible. As the men ate, they became expansive, laughing as they recounted hunting stories from the past. No one commented on the fact the hunters hadn’t brought back any food for the clan on this trip. Jolene brought Seth a bottle of whiskey—no doubt as a gesture of allegiance and appeasement. He accepted it as his due, tugging Jolene down to whisper something in her ear with a smug expression. His eyes half-closed in triumph as he returned to his plate of food. Jolene’s smile, pasted on while Seth was watching her, wiped from her face when he turned away, along with all her color. She stood as though she’d been gut-punched and yet forbidden to show any pain or fear.

For a brief second, Ellie felt sorry for Jolene. The compassion was fleeting, however. Jolene had chosen her own chains. She had to live with the consequences of her decisions.

Jack leaned negligently against one of the tree trunks, just at the edge of the picnic tables, watching Ellie wait on the hunters as though he was completely unperturbed by the entire scene. For the first time, Ellie could sense his leopard, lying in wait with infinite patience, waiting for someone to make the wrong move. If she could just diffuse the situation a little longer, she and Jack could bid the party goodnight. In the morning, they could leave. There was no need for Jack to come to blows with his uncle.

The cheap whiskey disappeared rapidly, as did the plates of food Ellie kept bringing to the table. Though she would have preferred to withhold any alcohol, she didn’t see how she could legitimately do so. Perhaps she and Jack could make their escape before things got ugly again.

No such luck. She’d just delivered a dish of warm apple pie topped with a slice of cheddar and a scoop of vanilla ice cream to Seth and had turned to leave when he grabbed her by the wrist. “You’re not my type, but damn if you couldn’t make a man change his mind.”

She didn’t resist. Experience had taught her that wasn’t the first line of defense in such situations, even as she was very much aware how Jack had suddenly gone on full-alert. “Now aren’t you sweet?” she said, lying through her teeth. “I’d love to hang around and learn more about your clan here, but Jack and I have to leave first thing in the morning.”

She certainly hoped that was true.

“What’s your rush?” Seth slurred his words, already showing the effects of the whiskey on top of his third or fourth beer.

“We’re meeting my family tomorrow.” She managed to sound regretful. “You know how it is.”

Seth snorted and released his grip, focusing on his dessert.

Jack was at her side in a flash. He took her hand. “We’ll just say goodnight, then.”

Seth looked up, a long, measured gaze that was hard for Ellie to read. “When are you leaving?”

“Not sure. It will depend on when Ellie’s grandfather contacts us. Sometime tomorrow, though.” Jack sounded calm, but his fingers tightened on Ellie’s hand.

“I expect you gone by sundown.” Seth’s words were both a statement and a threat.

“No worries.” Jack turned without another glance, tugging Ellie in his wake. She followed without question. As they came abreast of Helena, Jack held out his hand. “Mother?”

Helena shook her head. “You two go on without me. I’m staying a bit longer.”

Jack’s hand fell back to his side, but he didn’t move. “Mama. Please.”

Helena smiled as though everything was completely normal. “You know the old saying—two’s company, three’s a crowd. Particularly when the third party is your mother. Goodnight, Jack, Ellie.”

Her words drew relieved laughter from the other clan members. Ellie squeezed Jack’s hand, and gently tugged him toward Helena’s cabin. They walked in silence across the clearing, the moon rising like a giant golden disk through the trees.

Once inside, Jack let go of her hand to run his fingers through his hair. It wasn’t necessary to have augmented hearing abilities to know he was cursing under his breath as he turned on the lights.

“I wanted to kill him.” Jack’s panther was almost visible beneath his skin as he stalked around the room.

Startled, Ellie looked up into his face. The lamplight lit his grass-green eyes, making them look more like a cat’s than ever. The cold fury on his face should have been frightening, but instead, it thrilled her.

He’s our mate. He’d do anything for us.

Her dragon’s serene acknowledgment filled her with an immense pride—and a burning need to have Jack in her arms right now, at whatever cost.

“The way he spoke to my mother… I never should have let him talk to her like that.”

“You were outnumbered. Besides, he was deliberately trying to provoke you. He wanted to know how far he could push before you challenged him.”

“Apparently pretty damn far.” With a furious snarl, Jack spun and slammed his fist into the wall. Some of the plaster between the wood beams cracked and crumbled. He shook out his hand, grimacing as he did so.

Ellie toed out of her shoes and glided forward to capture his injured hand, lifting it to her lips for a gentle kiss. “Are you worried you’re not man enough for me? That by staying calm and not rising to your uncle’s bait, I might think you less of you?” She turned his wrist over in her hand and kissed him, feather-light, where his pulse beat. “My love, that’s when I knew you were ten times the man Seth was. Because you kept your head and stuck to the mission.”

She knew she’d said the right thing when he pulled her into his arms. She melted into his hug, trembling when he spoke into her ear. “When he started hitting on you? Believe me, I would never have let that go any further.”

“I know.” Ellie tilted her head for a kiss. “I also know that you couldn’t say or do anything about it without it becoming an open challenge.”

“My first duty is to protect you. If I’m injured—or even killed—over a clan matter, then there would be no one to keep you safe you until your grandfather arrives.” He squeezed her hands. “You understand, don’t you?”

“I do. I also think it takes a brave—and wise—man to know when to let small matters pass. No one is questioning your courage.”

“Members of the clan might. I’m sure some of them are disappointed in me tonight.”

“I don’t see any of them standing up to Seth either. I don’t doubt your courage. Jack, you took a bullet for me yesterday.”

“It was merely a scratch.”

She wrapped herself around him, burying her face in his chest. “Right. Whatever. Anyway, I trust you to keep me safe.”

He lifted her chin to look into her eyes. “You realize I’ve screwed up this mission in every conceivable way possible, right?”

She couldn’t help but smile at that. “I don’t know about that. I’m not in the security business.”

“Well, believe me, I couldn’t have messed this up more if I’d tried.”

He sounded so discouraged and disgusted with himself that she felt obligated to speak. “All I’m hearing is that something about me has you discombobulated and confused. I can’t say I don’t find that flattering.”

He stared at her a long moment, but when he spoke, his words were calm. “You know I would be with you if I could.”

Ah. Here it was. The battle with his sense of honor. “I do know that. What I don’t understand is how you can give me up.”

He stepped back, severing contact between them. It was shocking how much it physically hurt. “You’re promised to another. You have a different destiny. Hell, you said it earlier this evening. We’re from different worlds.”

Words of rebuttal sprang to her lips, but somehow she knew that no matter what argument she made, it would fail.

Very well. She would make him a proposition he couldn’t resist. “That’s tomorrow. We still have tonight.”

“Ellie.” He breathed her name like a prayer, and she almost smiled at the power she knew she held over him. Did her maternal gift for calling animals to her aid extend to influencing shifters? She’d used every trick in her arsenal to placate Seth and his crew tonight. Maybe there’d been some unknown dragon magic in that as well. She hadn’t been wearing the pendant—she’d given it to Jack for safekeeping—and for once, her path seemed clear. If the pendant suppressed her abilities—did that mean Jack was currently immune to them?

She was tempted to ask for the necklace back. If Jack wasn’t holding it, she was sure she could make him see they belonged together. That would be wrong. She didn’t care. If nothing else, she was determined to have one more night with him.

“Your mother is staying with friends. We have the place to ourselves.”

“Ellie.” This time he sounded agonized, but she ruthlessly thrust his noble inclinations aside.

“Make love to me, Jack.” She placed her arms around his neck. “If tonight is the last night we have together, then make it magical.”

Wordlessly, he crushed her to his chest. She gasped as he rained kisses on her face and neck. Her hands wormed their way underneath his shirt, seeking warm skin. She arched back when he brushed her nipples through the thin, cotton dress, her own nails digging into his flesh. He undid the band holding her hair back, tossing it aside. Her locks fell to her shoulders, framing her face and brushing her shoulders, the slight contact lighting her skin on fire. She felt her power stir deep within her. Dragon or woman, it made no difference. For once, she wasn’t afraid of it.

She tugged at his clothing. He took the hint and peeled off his shirt, tossing it aside. A small, pleased sigh escaped her. This was what she’d been craving all day, the long, sleek lines of his body, hers to explore with her touch. He reached for her zipper, but before she could shimmy out of the dress, he grabbed it on either side and tore it in two, the fabric giving with a satisfying sound. She shivered as she stood before him, with only her bra between his lips and her skin. When he undid the clip, her breasts sprang free toward him as her bra fell to the ground. With a guttural growl, he bent his lips to her flesh, and she thrust her chest forward into his contact. This. This was what she was she had been made for—she had been designed just for him. His touch inflamed her. It was as though all her life she’d been a marble statue, and now contact with him had brought her to life, like Pygmalion’s sculpture.

When he pushed his hand down the length of her belly and brushed up against the heat of her desire, she bucked against him. A mewling cry tore its way out of her throat.

“You like that, do you?” His words were silky-soft against her ear, causing her to shiver. “You haven’t felt anything yet.”

Together they walked backward to the couch, shedding most of their clothes as they went. She let him push her down onto the cushions. He helped her out of her panties, and she tugged his briefs down around his ankles. He stepped out of them, kicking them aside. When his cock jutted out from the dark curls at his groin, she experienced a sense of recognition. This. This was hers.

He didn’t have the pendant on him now. She didn’t need to use her dragon-power against him, though. She had other powers of her own, older witchcraft that women had been using since the dawn of time.

He stood before her, looking down at her with such a look of longing on his face that her heart swelled. With a smile, she leaned forward to take hold of his cock. Such a sheer thing of beauty, and all for her. It leapt at her touch, and there was nothing she wanted more than to take it in her mouth. When her lips closed over his shaft, his groan of pleasure shot through her, somehow connecting with her molten center. She pushed herself off the couch, dropping to her knees so she could take more of him in, greedily pumping up and down his cock, moaning her pleasure with every thrust. The gathering tension within his body only spurred her on. She could sense him climbing ever-higher toward that pinnacle of supreme satisfaction and release. It excited her, and drove her harder to make it happen, taking in more of him with each pass, humming in delight as she allowed his scent and his passion to envelop her. His cock in her mouth fulfilled her on a primal level, and she wanted nothing more than for him to come from her lips alone.

To her surprise and disappointment, he pulled her up before she could bring him to completion. Though she would never admit it to a living soul, his hands in her hair, tugging her upward, made her wild with desire. Following his pull, she scrambled to her feet, rubbing against him, dragging her nipples against his skin, teasing herself with his coarse chest hair. She couldn’t get enough of him. She would never have enough of him.

She forgave him for interrupting her blow job when his lips curved into a smile. “Not like that, sweetheart. I want to come inside you.”

Something feral crowed at his statement, and growled at the minuscule delay while he found and applied a condom. Impatiently, she hooked a leg over his thigh and then gasped when he lifted her effortlessly. She wrapped herself around him as he eased them both onto the couch. When his cockhead brushed her clit, she hissed and fell back against the couch with her mouth open, sighing softly as he sank himself within her.

The hard length of his shaft within her was more than enough to satisfy her. But he wasn’t done. He pressed his fingers between their bodies, thrusting between her folds. Even as he moved within her, his fingers stroked, finding that magic spot that caused her to clench and arch against him. Together they rode out the gathering sensation, her muscles tightening around him, climbing ever-higher until she reached the breakpoint. When her orgasm crashed over her, she pulled him into her vortex, tipping him into coming as well. His length pulsed within her as she lay gasping, sweating, and smiling beneath him.

Smiling that is, until she remembered that in the morning, they would part ways forever.